Ursus spelaeus Rosenmulle 1794

This whole skeleton of cave bear was recovered from the Thaga cave, Ural Area, Russia. The cave bear, Ursus spelaeus, lived in Europe during the Ice Age. It often escaped the worst of the winters by hibernating in Alpine caves. Many bears seem to have congregated together for this long and annual sleep, to judge from the fossil bones found heaped together. Despite its great size and fearsome appearance, the cave bear was probably a vegetarian.